Stellar Hacks: Real-World ZK — ₹9.2L Hackathon Prize Pool

Stellar Hacks: Real-World ZK is an online hackathon run by the Stellar Development Foundation. It challenges participants to build zero-knowledge applications that live on the Stellar blockchain, with the emphasis squarely on usefulness rather than proof-of-concept demos.

The brief steers entrants towards three themes: privacy, scalability and interoperability. Projects are expected to show how ZK cryptography can serve a genuine, real-world purpose — not simply demonstrate that the technology works.

The build window is short and intensive. Submissions open on 16 June 2026 and the hackathon wraps up on 29 June 2026, the same date as the registration deadline. Solo builders and multi-person teams are both welcome, and there are no geographic restrictions — anyone, anywhere can take part.

Winning entries share a USD 10,000 prize pool, listed here as up to ₹9.2L. As a competition, the value on offer is cash prize money rather than investment, so no equity or ownership stake changes hands.

• Online hackathon organised by the Stellar Development Foundation, running 16–29 June 2026.
• Build zero-knowledge applications on Stellar with real-world use cases in privacy, scalability and interoperability.
• USD 10,000 — up to ₹9.2L — shared among the winning submissions.
• Open globally to solo developers as well as teams; no geographic restrictions stated.
• Projects are judged on innovation, technical implementation and real-world applicability.
• Registration closes 29 June 2026 via the official competition page.

Entry is open worldwide — the programme states no country or regional restrictions at all.

• Who it is aimed at: developers, blockchain enthusiasts, and teams that already have some blockchain development experience.
• Team format: both solo participants and teams are accepted.
• Geography: no geographic limits; participants can join from anywhere.
• Registration: you must register through the official competition page before the 29 June 2026 deadline.

DPIIT registration and MSME registration do not feature anywhere in the stated eligibility criteria — they are not conditions of entry.

Stellar Hacks: Real-World ZK — ₹9.2L Hackathon Prize Pool is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

The most recent application window for Stellar Hacks: Real-World ZK — ₹9.2L Hackathon Prize Pool closed on 29 Jun 2026. Many programmes run repeat cohorts, so it is worth checking the official site for the next round.

This is a prize competition rather than a grant or an investment, and the reward pool is announced up front.

• Total prize pool: USD 10,000, shown as up to ₹9.2L.
• Distribution: the pool is shared among the winning submissions. The programme does not publish a place-by-place breakdown, so ₹9.2L represents the top figure rather than a guaranteed amount.
• No equity taken: winners receive cash prizes; the organisers do not take a stake in your project or your company.
• What else you gain: the opportunity to design, build and submit a working zero-knowledge application on Stellar inside the hackathon window, and to have it assessed on the strength of the idea and the build.

Entries are built and submitted during the hackathon itself, and the organisers assess them against three stated criteria:

• Innovation — how original the concept is and how creatively zero-knowledge proofs are applied.
• Technical implementation — the quality of the build and how well it functions on Stellar.
• Real-world applicability — whether the application addresses a problem people would genuinely use it for.

The USD 10,000 prize pool is then distributed among the winning submissions. No detailed round-by-round judging schedule or per-place prize split has been published.

Before you apply to Stellar Hacks: Real-World ZK — ₹9.2L Hackathon Prize Pool, keep the following documents ready:

• A pitch deck or short business plan describing the problem, product and traction
• Company registration documents and PAN
• Founder identification (PAN / Aadhaar) and brief profiles
• Recent financial statements or projections
• Product details — a demo, prototype or working link if available

Exact requirements are confirmed on the official application portal — treat this as a preparation checklist.

Stellar Hacks: Real-World ZK — ₹9.2L Hackathon Prize Pool is best suited for startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹9.2L. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.